Today we’d like to introduce you to Nate Leslie.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
Throughout all of my teen years, I was the frontman of a rock/pseudo-prog band called Paradigm. We played a ton of shows all around Chicago and released a couple CDs. I also played bass in a band called Black Canvas, which shared a couple of band members with Paradigm. We managed to get on the bill a couple times with bands that we really loved and looked up to, like The Appleseed Cast and Lovedrug, which was thrilling for us.
My story today as a solo artist is completely different than what I had known from being in those bands throughout high school and my college-aged years. There’s some overlap in the timelines of when those bands ended and when I began to do my own stuff, but I’ve basically been operating in a solo capacity since 2009. I wrote, produced, and recorded five full-length albums between 2009-2016. I did this in the various apartment bedrooms that my (very supportive) wife and I shared during those years, always working in very close quarters and usually with our kids sleeping in the room next door.
When I started recording songs for my first album, I was experiencing a huge explosion of creative energy. I was experimenting a lot with sounds and song styles that I hadn’t ever explored before in my previous bands. Everything felt limitless. That record is still something that I’m very proud of for what it is, especially considering how inexperienced I was with recording and mixing my own music. Each subsequent record was just more steps down the path of finding my style and sound. My last release “The Midwest Is Still Dreaming” came out in November 2016, and it took me over two years to make. I’m currently writing and recording songs for my 6th record.
Please tell us about your art.
As a songwriter, I like to write and release full-length albums. There’s nothing like spending a year or two crafting a sonic image of my thoughts and feelings and then releasing it as one complete thing. You can’t get to know someone just by hearing one or two of their songs. Putting together a 10 or 12-song record is like painting a whole picture, and I want to make sure I use all the right colors. I write songs because I’m driven to it, I would go insane without creating them. I know that there are feelings in the music that other people can relate to if they’re willing to listen. I’ve got so much pent-up joy, anger, confusion, desire, and sadness that I will probably keep trying to paint the picture until I’m dead. I do think there’s a little bit of quiet hope hiding in even my darkest songs.
Practically speaking, I often write songs in large chunks inside my head before I even touch an instrument. It’s all about the melody. If I find a melody that moves me, a song will come out of it. Since my main instrument is guitar, that tends to be my starting point, and a lot of times, I’ll be recording as I’m writing, hashing out the structures of the song as I go. Those melodies don’t come often though, I write an average of only five-eight songs a year. That’s a pretty small number in my opinion. I used to get more ideas for songs than I do now. I think I’m better at weeding through the song ideas in my mind, and now, I just pursue the ones I really believe in. Back on my first couple records, there are a couple songs that I probably should’ve omitted, but learning to edit yourself is just part of the process.
Choosing a creative or artistic path comes with many financial challenges. Any advice for those struggling to focus on their artwork due to financial concerns?
If I waited to record my music until I had “the right” gear, or “the right” instrument, or “the right” fill-in-the-blank, I would’ve never recorded anything. Use what you currently have. If you have nothing, find someone who does and who can help you. Don’t let a lack of gear or money keep you from writing or creating. You can find ways to record music for such a low cost these days, it’s truly a golden age for independent musicians.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
The main place I send people to hear my music is my Bandcamp page: http://nateleslie.bandcamp.com. You can pay-what-you-want (even $0 for all available albums), though all of my music is also available on Spotify, iTunes, and just about every other major streaming platform. I’m not currently planning any live shows, although I plan to once more things are coming together for my next release.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.NateLeslie.com
- Email: nateleslierocks@gmail.com
- Instagram: @therealnateleslie
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natelesliemusic/
- Twitter: @nateleslie
- Other: http://nateleslie.bandcamp.com
Image Credit:
Robyn Birkey
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